On 13 November 2019 the Antall József Knowledge Centre in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of Hungary organized a half-day long event series for foreign students living in Hungary entitled Turning Points of Hungary – Revolution of '56 - Evolution to '19. The program’s main aim was to offer an insight how Hungarian historical past, especially that of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, shape present day political thinking. The main events of the day were the visit to the Parliament comprising a discussion with MP Hajnalka Juhász and a panel discussion with the participation of Judit Varga, Minister of Justice of Hungary.

During the panel discussion – moderated by Annamária Steiner-Isky, Ministerial Press Chief at the Ministry of Justice – Minister Varga and the other panelists, Scriptwriter Norbert Köbli and Áron Máthé, Vice-chair at the Committee of National Remembrance highlighted the specifics of the 20th century Hungarian history that had a deep impact on both the Hungarian society and the political sphere. Minister Varga also stressed that events like these are important, as they enable the creation of a dialogue with foreign students so that they can contrast what they read about Hungary and what they hear and see here in the country. Speaking about the communist past Áron Máthé emphasized that our task is to make all Europe see that the Central and Eastern European region had its own suffering. The West suffered Nazism and the Nazi occupation, but our region also had a second chapter. This is our mandate, to showcase the tragic experience of Communism. We need to tell the stories of the heroes and the victims as well – he added. Speaking about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 Norbert Köbli underlined that Hungarians are always split over everything, but, in 1956, there was a moment in time when everybody agreed on one thing – the need for a free Hungary. Therefore, it was a special time in our history.

Speaking about division between the older and newer EU member states Minister Varga pointed out that the events of the past left a mark on our minds, that’s why we may have discussions with the EU. Hungarian and Central Europeans sometimes have the impression that Western Europeans do not understand us because they have no clue about our countries – not by their own fault, but because it is not part of their education and it does not attract their interest. Meanwhile, we always wanted to belong to the West, so we know a lot about them – she added. Áron Máthé stressed that after the fall of the Iron Curtain, Western investors cooperated with members of the ex-socialist elite, as they had the local knowledge and network and, thus, they could help them. This cooperation, naturally, was not well received by the parties of the former democratic opposition and the majority of the population. Minister Varga accentuated that countries in our region are still sometimes treated as a group of ex-socialist countries. This can be greatly problematic, as it leads to generalisations. However, we all have our specificities. That’s why occasions like this are a great opportunity to learn more about us and understand the underpinnings of our policy-making – Minister Varga added.